Sungold cherry tomatoes on the vine.

Summer’s still lingering, but the telltale signs are here. Apples have been falling in droves. Grass is tall and golden where we haven’t gotten to mowing. Tomatoes have been hanging fat and ripe on the vines for more than a month. Autumn is imminent.

Bowl of cherry tomatoes.

Sola harvested more than two gallons of tomatoes a couple days ago — promising caprese salad, pico de gallo, dried tomatoes and more. Today’s project is the dried tomatoes.

Closeup of cherry tomatoes.

We’re beginning the process now, laying our radiant rows of Sungold, Sweet 100, and other cherry tomatoes. We’ll be enjoying the summer even when the weather is long gone.

Wheel of cherry tomatoes.

Sungold cherry tomatoes on the vine.

Summer’s still lingering, but the telltale signs are here. Apples have been falling in droves. Grass is tall and golden where we haven’t gotten to mowing. Tomatoes have been hanging fat and ripe on the vines for more than a month. Autumn is imminent.

Bowl of cherry tomatoes.

Sola harvested more than two gallons of tomatoes a couple days ago — promising caprese salad, pico de gallo, dried tomatoes and more. Today’s project is the dried tomatoes.

Closeup of cherry tomatoes.

We’re beginning the process now, laying our radiant rows of Sungold, Sweet 100, and other cherry tomatoes. We’ll be enjoying the summer even when the weather is long gone.

Wheel of cherry tomatoes.

2 Week-Old Ducklings with Mama Duck.

I took these photos just over a week ago, when we’d first un-cloistered the ducklings from their daytime shelter. They’ve grown a great deal, looking much less like fuzzy little peepers and much more like bonafide ducks. Since rejoining the chickens and ducks in the farmyard, they’ve largely managed to hold their own (earlier today I saw a duckling chasing a chicken) — though the drake remains a little too interested and has argued quite a bit with mama duck. Perhaps he’s just surprised that they all seem to be taking after him, with grey plumage all over their bodies.

2 Week-Old Ducklings in tall grass.

2 Week-Old Ducklings with Mama Duck.

I took these photos just over a week ago, when we’d first un-cloistered the ducklings from their daytime shelter. They’ve grown a great deal, looking much less like fuzzy little peepers and much more like bonafide ducks. Since rejoining the chickens and ducks in the farmyard, they’ve largely managed to hold their own (earlier today I saw a duckling chasing a chicken) — though the drake remains a little too interested and has argued quite a bit with mama duck. Perhaps he’s just surprised that they all seem to be taking after him, with grey plumage all over their bodies.

2 Week-Old Ducklings in tall grass.